Partridge Rock & Speckled Sussex breeders

Anybody know where I can find good quality Partridge Rocks and/or Speckled Sussex?

I was going to order from a hatchery and I probably still will if I can't find any but I was hoping I could maybe find a breeder. They're going to be pets and eggs anyway so show quality, perfect birds doesn't really matter but I wanna guarantee, for instance, the PRs are dark like they're supposed to be.

I think it might be easier if I could find one breeder who breeds both or ships so I don't have to run all over but I'm also possibly interested in Delaware, Welsummer, or Brahma too so if I can't find one eho does everything that's fine.

I was interested in Wyandottes but everything I've read lately seems to suggest they're just mean or have a strong personality.

Anyway, I'm in eastern Massachusetts.

I want to add maybe 2-4 more.

Anyway, thanks a lot

My 2 cents is that breeder birds are often pretty but tend to lay poorly and to go broody a lot. I like my hatchery birds.

I have multiple varieties of Wyandotte. Not a single aggressive bird. I think the size of the set up has something to do with breed aggression. Mine have plenty of room and are never confined. I don't see aggression in any of my 84 chickens, except an occasional rooster fight in the spring.

If you are showing, breeder birds are the best, they also tend to be more docile. My breeder RIR have never pecked anyone. From my reading hatchery RIR are often aggressive, though I haven't had any yet.

I have gotten decent hatchery birds, and I prefer them.

Sorry, I probably should have clarified; I wasn't trying to say hatchery birds are bad or anything. I do actually have hatchery birds and I love them. My current 8 all came from Meyer hatchery. They are, imo, beautiful birds and they lay well. I just wasn't sure for the more rare or patterned breeds plus shipping at least from there is expensive.

If I could find a hatchery that had decent shipping and good stock, I'd order from them so I am open to suggestions.

But I also want to add some pretty birds

I have a Barred Rock, 2 Black Australorps, 3 Buff Orpingtons, and 2 Easter Eggers, they're beautiful in their own way but all the solid colors are a little boring sometimes haha

Although I'm not sure I can keep non-laying birds.. hopefully they don't lay that poorly or being heritage breeds they might lay better??

As for broody, I used to think I didn't want it at all but lately I've been having an urge to hatch chicks so I wouldn't mind a reliable broody or two in a flock of 8-12 although I might change my mind when she just will not start laying or stop being broody hahah

But wow that's really interesting about the Wyandottes! I had originally read about 50/50 mixed reviews and was gonna try them but then lately I've seen lots of posts that hated them or loved them but said they were really mean to pther birds :/

But I think you are right that maybe it depends on the size of the set up because a lot of these people had them confined I think. Maybe they just don't tolerate confinement well?

Thanks a lot for all the input

If you want broody than cochins are always willing to go broody.

Another thing you need to remember is generally hatcheries are disease free, where breeders birds can be carrying stuff your flock hasn't seen and you could potentially bring in something you may regret.

But lots of folks breeds and sell birds every day. I just prefer hatcheries. I also like bothering you.

I hadn't thought about cochins! How do they lay? They don't have to be super stars but I was hoping for something that would go broody but still be able to somewhat earn it's keep haha

I hadn't thought about the potential diseases... you are always thinking! Lol maybe hatchery would just be better after all.

But what if I keep the chicks in the garage for a few weeks? And/or bring clumps of dirt from the big hens pen to the chicks and vice versa so they could acclimate?

LOL nahh, you haven't bothered me and never do

You always give good advice and bring up things I never thought of in my impulsiveness lol

But I'll turn this into a general discussion now too lol

Breeders AND hatcheries... let's just say where to find good stock. Lol

And on the subject of hatcheries, what hatchery has the best stock, price, shipping, etc.? With a low minimum order. I only wanna add like 4 or 5 max so they can't have like a 15 or 25 chick minimum order... unless someone wants to go in with me

Or are there maybe feed stores around?

Last year I got a batch of large cochins, which I hadn't had in many years. They lay smaller eggs for their big size, but they have been okay layers. I enjoy their big poofy butts and gentle demeanor. One just got broke from being broody. I have a few more coming this year because I've enjoyed them.

It's not about quarantine with chicks, it's about what the breeder has on her property, and what stuff their birds have but are resistant to. A perfectly healthy chicken can kill your whole flock. So it's about your existing birds. That being said I have brought in adult birds and chicks from swap meets and have been fine.

All my chicks get sod clumps in the brooder to keep them busy and to get them used to stuff in my soil before they go out on the lawn for the day.

If you really want chick from a breeder don't let me discourage you. I don't care for speckled Sussex either. That's my opinions, and what I like. The joy of chickens is everyone can do something different. It's so diverse.

I get ramble on about stuff with you, and you seem to find it interesting. Plus you are asking stuff. I like that.

Thanks for the info on the cochins! I just might have to consider them now how do they compare to Brahmas and do Brahmas go broody too or no? Brahma was another one I was considering. Also, Cackle has sooo many varieties omg.

Ohhh that makes sense! That really scares me though so okay yeah, I'm thinking that's out lol

Yeah, these ones didn't really get much dirt, the next chicks will or will be raised outside.

Nah you're not discouraging me! Just helping me consider other options not really set either way, just popped into my head "hey maybe there's a breeder" haha but tbh it seems I might have a hard time finding a partridge rock breeder :/

Very wise words! You are right, chicken keeping is very diverse and there is something for everyone! I mostly want to try the Sussex because I find their feather pattern gorgeous and everything I've read seems to suggest they are friendly birds but we'll see how I like them but you are right, something for everyone. I may love a breed someone hates or hate a breed someone loves which is great.

Aww thank you! I do like what you write, it is interesting and informative

KDOGG331 said:

Breeders AND hatcheries... let's just say where to find good stock. Lol

Click to expand...

There are ups and downs to both options.

I breed Faverolles. But since it's boring to look at the same egg and feather colors all day, I also have a mixed flock of hatchery birds to roam the yard.

My breeder Favs are twice the size of hatchery birds. They also produce large-XL eggs while hatchery Favs produce medium. They are also free from the off-colors that many hatcheries have. The downside to breeder birds is many (myself included) do not sell chicks. Even if we did they would be unsexed. If you go the breeder route you likely would be adding a juvenile late summer/fall. If you want multiple breeds that would mean adding multiple stranger birds which isn't always easy.

Upside to hatchery birds is you can get sexed females. You can get all the breeds you want at the same time, brood them together and add them all at the same time. Downside is it's costly to get a small number of chicks shipped. The birds may not be as close to the breed standard you would like to see. They will likely be good layers though.

In the mixed hatchery bunch we added assorted LF Cochins and one speckled Sussex last year. The Cochins are definitely a broody lot. I spent most of last summer breaking one or more of them, multiple times from brooding. They do not like to give up. If you like the partridge color you could get a partridge Cochin instead of a Rock. We have blues, blacks, a buff and a partridge. They are only okay layers but we got them for yard candy and their mellow personalities.

As for the Sussex, she is an oddball. Low on the totem pole and a little spazzy. Not the greatest layer either. Not sure if I'd get another. There are still a lot of breeds I haven't had yet.

Too bad you are far from NH. Dodge Grain has partridge Rock chicks now and assorted Cochins coming in today. My kids always bring home extras from there because they want to try different breeds. We have found some that we'd definitely get again, that we wouldn't have considered otherwise. Buff Minorcas, brown Leghorns and Buttercups are 3 examples.

Wow thanks so much for all the info!!

I hadn't realized most breeders don't sell chicks or females or else I forgot, thanks for the info.

Thanks for the info on the breeds too! A partridge cochin is a good idea